Quinces

A forum for mashing & fermenting fruits and vegetables

Re: Quinces

Postby Zaximus » Sun May 07, 2017 7:15 pm

Hey Toyoda how'd you go with your quince wash??
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Re: Quinces

Postby Zaximus » Sun May 07, 2017 7:46 pm

I've been away from stilling since the last time I ran quince through as I've been studying and working with NO time to scratch my butt!
But I finish my studies next month (after a 4 year slog) and have put some quince on in preparation for my freedom and graduation in September cos I am going to properly get shitfaced for the first time in bloody ages.
Did something a little different this time. I cleaned 20kg of fruit and made sure I cut out all woody material inside before I ran it through my juicer. I poured all juice straight into my fermenter and threw the left over pulp into a bucket. When done with juicing I poured filtered water over the pulp in the bucket and let it sit. I then used a fine strainer and placed it over the pulp mash slowly pressing it down. This filtered the water from the pulp which was full of residual quince juice and flavour. I used a soup ladel to scoop the infused water into my fermenter. It was remarkably strong in flavour. I repeated this until I had enough water in my fermenter. I figured I needed to add water anyway so I may as well get as much flavour out as possible by using the pulp in this way.
I then added 5kg of sugar made into syrup earlier, mixed it around and then added 50g of EC1118 into each 25L fermenter also started earlier. Bit more yeast than usual but I figure what the heck may as well try.
Low and behold, this fermented out in 3 weeks straight. I was a bit concerned that the faster ferment would cause off flavours but it actually tastes like young white wine, almost a pinot gris flavour. What was cool was that the ferment just suddenly stopped one day and when I opened the fermenters the liquid was clear. So I racked the clear liquid off into 2 clean containers and sealed them airtight awaiting my last uni submission early June when I can actually, happily, run this stuff through the still without having to think about uni anymore!
I like this method using the juicer as it minimizes pulp in the wash. The final fermented product is very easily racked off as the lees just sit undisturbed on the bottom. I'm grabbing another 20kg of fruit next week and do it again.
Can't wait to run this. And it's good to be back to the great wealth of knowledge that is this forum. :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Quinces

Postby toyoda » Sun Jun 25, 2017 4:03 pm

Zaximus wrote:Hey Toyoda how'd you go with your quince wash??

Yo

Sorry for late reply, been away a bit.

last years batch did not work out so well - my fault I added some quince jelly to try and give it that lovely colour
but it just made it cloudy.

So this years is on Oak as we speak and has been in the Barrel only 2 weeks but smells promising.

Toyoda !
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Re: Quinces

Postby toyoda » Sat Dec 02, 2017 3:52 pm

7 months old and this is better than molasses Rum or All Grain Whisky.

:D
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Re: Quinces

Postby EziTasting » Sat Dec 02, 2017 4:26 pm

That’s a tall order!

Despite my poor results with AGs, it’s the smoothest tasting likker I’ve had! Makes me wonder how they can charge $400+ per bottle for the higher quality Whisky!?!?
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Re: Quinces

Postby bluc » Sat Dec 02, 2017 4:33 pm

EziTasting wrote:That’s a tall order!

Despite my poor results with AGs, it’s the smoothest tasting likker I’ve had! Makes me wonder how they can charge $400+ per bottle for the higher quality Whisky!?!?

Most of that is barrel storage cost(and marketing spin)
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Re: Quinces

Postby EziTasting » Sat Dec 02, 2017 5:25 pm

Hah, yes.

I’ve been looking up Quinces... what do they taste like? Look like pears (apparently even tho the pics look more like apples)...
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Re: Quinces

Postby PeterC » Sat Dec 02, 2017 8:45 pm

EziTasting wrote:Hah, yes.

I’ve been looking up Quinces... what do they taste like? Look like pears (apparently even tho the pics look more like apples)...


They taste delicate and floral. My wife makes quince paste and jelly. She cuts out the woody centre and cooks them for a long time. They turn from white to a pink colour. We then strain the liquid through a cloth. I have to squeeze as much as I can out through the cloth by twisting it. She then adds sugar and some lemons to set it. Very nice. Tastes great with a sharp tangy cheese and white wine. Maggie Beer was selling it in her range of speciality produce.

We have only come by the fruit from places where they have an old orchard and the trees were planted years ago. Many people don't know what they are and give them away. Too much work these days for most. But my missus is an old fashioned farm girl.
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Re: Quinces

Postby EziTasting » Sat Dec 02, 2017 8:50 pm

Rito,
What’s the flavour like? Is there anything that is like it?
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Re: Quinces

Postby toyoda » Sun Dec 03, 2017 8:20 am

Definately a Brandy taste - Drinking it neat out of a warmed Brandy glass.

Pretty smooth taste and does not leave an aftertaste in the mouth, slight sweetness probably
from aging on toasted American Oak.

If you have access to Quinces definately give it a go - just kicking myself because I gave more
Quinces away than I actually used !
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Re: Quinces

Postby RuddyCrazy » Tue May 04, 2021 6:10 pm

G'Day Guy's,
Well SWMBO came home with a bucket and a half of Quinces and said this can be your next project :laughing-rolling: She peeled, diced then blanched the lot and today put the lot thru the blender. Ended up with close to 8 litre of pulp and checkingthe SG with my refractometer only 1025 :scared-eek: and a PH test with my PH paper it came in a 3 so pretty acidic.

Put the lot on a clean 10 litre bucket and sealed the lid and on the way home after work tomorrow I'll get somemore sugar and do a 20 litre ferment. I'll get the SG to around 1060-1065 and the PH to 5.5 and use EC1118 yeast. This will give 4 strip runs on my 2" pot still and get enough to do a spirit run the the same then onto French Oak with all my other fruit Brandies.

What I have found with my Brandies it does take months for the fruit flavour to come thru so Quinces are one more I can scratch off the list :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Quinces

Postby RuddyCrazy » Wed May 05, 2021 6:30 pm

Well got some more sugar today and with a total of 7 kg's with 1 kg being brown sugar got a starting SG of 1070 with roughly a 35-37 litre ferment :handgestures-thumbupleft: To my surprise the EC1118 yeast took off like a rocket with just one table spoon of sugar in some 25 degree rainwater :scared-eek: and I had to keep punching down the cap as it wanted to jump out of the 400ml beaker :laughing-rolling:

Put some baking soda in to get the PH up and overshot the mark so put a bit of citric acid in to get the starting PH to 5.5 :handgestures-thumbupleft:

With having a much larger ferment than I first though I'll just put this ferment over 4 plates and add some feints in to get the yield up.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Quinces

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Aug 22, 2021 2:02 pm

G'Day Guy's,
Yesterday I took a SG reading and it's finally down to 1001 and still bubbling, now I do know EC1118 yeast will go down to the mid 90's so it is close to done. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

When ever I'm in the shed if I have ferments going and thats always the case my 5 star heating belts are wrapped and turned when i turn the inverter on so they can warm up. I also checked the PH and was surprised it was on 5 PH using my papers and just checked just now and it's down to 999 PH so this weekends shed foray has done wonders due the the 5 star heating belts.

It does look like this will get run over 4 plates next weekend then aged on my French Oak off my big domino which is now getting smaller :laughing-rolling: eh it still weighs over 2 kg's :laughing-rolling: Then the waiting game can start for that nice drop sometime next year.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Quinces

Postby Wellsy » Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:05 pm

Damm mate, 3 months to finish fermenting you are far more patient than I ever will be lol
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Re: Quinces

Postby Bob9863 » Thu May 26, 2022 6:56 pm

I tried it for the 1st time this year, now I'm buying a quince tree it's fast becoming my favourite brandy.
It's, easy to make and has a great clean taste just like stewed quinces if done right. I add both pectinase and glucoamylase to mine after stewing, and it really rings out all the flavour especially with CL23 yeast.
That gave it a nicer mouth feel then anything else.

I stew 5kg of fruit with 5kg of sugar, let it sit for a couple of days to give the enzymes a head start in a 35lt container topped up with filtered water. Then add the yeast, it's from my limited number of runs its done in 7-9 days.
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Re: Quinces

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sat Jun 11, 2022 6:19 pm

G'Day Guy's,
Did the brakes on SWMBO'S car today and SWMBO came up to the shed asking doing you want a crate of Quinces and for payment for the car I'll peel dice and stew them for you. Now after carrying 2 crates of them I reckon it would be close to 50 kg's here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Taking a measurement with my refractometer the Quince is 10 brix or 1035 SG and I do have some enzymes here so with the first batch after stewing where mixed spices were added to bump the flavour part I'll heat up the pot to 75C and add 3ml of the enzyme and hold around that temp just to see I can raise the brix. So if this batch does prove for the rest I'll use my 50 litre mash tun to process them.

Now SWMBO just mentioned we do have an electric meat grinder which she got for free :handgestures-thumbupleft: and it's brandnew :laughing-rolling:. As the plate has 2mm holes I may just have to make up some new plates for doing grain, basically just soak the grain then put it thru :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Don't ya love it when doing a jobbie for SWMBO suddenly a good idea for a brandy pops up and no hard work to be as it's a girl job :laughing-rolling:

Cheers Bryan
Last edited by RuddyCrazy on Sat Jun 11, 2022 6:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Quinces

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Jun 12, 2022 3:28 pm

G'Day Guy's,
Well got 2 10 litre stock pots on the stove and more quinces to go. :handgestures-thumbupleft: SWMBO just looked at what quinces were left and said it will be both stock pots again

I found the gravity was 1040 so put some AMG enzymes in and after 1/2 an hour the gravity has moved up 5 points so looking so far.

So I'm thinking of adding some inverted sugar as I do like to start fruit and vege ferments around 1070 so to get it up to 60 litres for my big fermenter then a full boiler charge over 4 plates can do for the spirit run.

Cheers Bryan
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Re: Quinces

Postby Bob9863 » Sun Jun 12, 2022 3:45 pm

I like making mine out out of stewed quinces, as I really love that stewed quice flavour.
My grandfather used to love his, stewed quinces so I make my mash pretty much the way my grandmother used to cook them.
I find it that good I didn't just buy one quince tree, I bought two. I'm going to make some cuttings and grow even more so I will never be short of quinces.

I like that idea of using the grinder for grain, I've got one but never thought to try that so I might have to give it a go.

Although I do like doing things by hand, but by the time I've ground 5kg my wrist is stuffed.
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Re: Quinces

Postby RuddyCrazy » Sun Jun 12, 2022 4:19 pm

Hi Bob,
The process we are doing here, peel and core the quince then slice nice and thin then throw it into the stock pot. 2 large moccona jars of water is added to prevent scorching and mixed spice is added. Then the stewing process begins warm up to the boil then let it stew then after a few hours using a potato mash the quince does fall apart and I'm after the paint mixer has had it's turn their won't be too many lumps left.

I suggested to SWMBO putting the fermenter by the fire would be the go and she suggested putting in the house shed beside that fireplace I fixed and installed which has never been used to date. Eh my dog will love the warmth aswell as he does use the shed now at night.

Cheers Bryan

Edit: may now have to start thinking of making that bar for the house shed now as I do have a heap of flame mahogany veneer and couple with redgum should make a nice one :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Last edited by RuddyCrazy on Sun Jun 12, 2022 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Quinces

Postby Bob9863 » Sun Jun 12, 2022 8:57 pm

I do pretty much the same apart from a couple of enzymes, I also like to add sugar as I stew them.

I ferment mine outside but I put an aquarium heater in the mash and that works pretty good. Once I've sorted the 2nd shed out I will put everything in the main shed and turn it into a little man cave.
But I will heat them the sane way.
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